Crab

If you can, buy fresh shrimp with shells and heads still intact. If the heads have been removed, don't worry. Peel the shrimp and use the shells to make shrimp stock. Put the shells (and heads) in a small stockpot. Add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 hour. Remove from the heat, strain through a fine sieve, and set aside. If you don't have shrimp stock, water can be substituted.

These crab-stuffed mushrooms are a longtime favorite at Phillips. Tip: Use a melon baller to scoop out the mushroom stems.

Japanese bread crumbs, called panko , give these cakes a light, crisp coating. Panko is sold at Asian markets and can often be found in the seafood section of large supermarkets. But if it's unavailable, plain dry bread crumbs are an acceptable substitute.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In the early days of California cooking, savory puddings were often served, a reflection of the fact that eggs and dairy have historically been mainstays of the state's agriculture. That was a legacy from the mission padres who, in addition to growing field crops such as corn and beans, usually kept cows and chickens to help feed their communities. In Northern California, Dungeness crab season begins around the first of November. The crab lends rich taste and nice texture to the first-course pudding.

This is made with homemade pasta at the inn. Our easy alternative uses cooked lasagne noodles cut into squares. From the Inn at Perry Cabin, St. Michaels, Maryland. Watch how to make your own pasta for ravioli with our hands-on streaming video demonstration.

This recipe comes from my brother, Chris, a high-school athletic coach. If you think stuffed mushrooms sound too foofy for Super Bowl Sunday, I refer you to "Little" Brother. He tells me they are winners every time. There's plenty of room for play in the recipe. The only firm rule: Use more crab than cream cheese.

An elegant soup that can be prepared a day ahead. Begin the occasion by passing smoked chicken canapés. To make them, spread mayonnaise over crustless sandwich bread, and top with thinly sliced smoked chicken. Cut the open-face sandwiches into triangles, and garnish each of them with a few onion sprouts.

Artichokes, an Old World food, came to America with Italian immigrants and found a happy home in the near-Mediterranean climate of California. As "ethnic" fare, artichokes took their time catching on outside the Golden State. They finally did in the thirties and became something of a fad. Artichokes were not limited to the vegetable course, either. Sometimes the center "choke" was scooped out and the hollow filled with a stuffing for a fashionable light lunch entrée.

To make the nori rolls in this recipe we used a bamboo sushi mat*, available at the sources noted below. Alternatively, a 9-inch square of heavy-duty foil can be used.

At least two San Francisco establishments — Solari's restaurant and the St. Francis Hotel — have laid claim to this classic. Both places reportedly started serving crab Louis around 1915.

These crab cakes are flavored with the "holy trinity" of Cajun cooking: onion, green bell pepper, and celery. Serve them with a helping of coleslaw or a green salad.

This light, spicy soup is delicious hot or chilled. The sautéed aromatics turn the broth a rich red-orange, more reminiscent of tomato than watermelon. See if your guests can guess the main ingredient. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr (3 hr if serving chilled)

The following recipe calls for filé powder, a spice made from the dried, ground leaves of the sassafras tree. Although often added as a thickener to gumbos while they cook, filé powder can also serve purely as a seasoning. As in this recipe, it is then sprinkled over the gumbo at the penultimate moment.

"Last summer I attended an event at the Three Clock Inn in South Londonderry, Vermont. The chef prepared a lovely luncheon, and it included delicious crab cakes," Bill Brett of Bondville, Vermont. "When I went home, I came up with my own version." The crab cakes are loaded with fresh crabmeat and are accented by a tangy sauce.